Broken axle grappler



im.. m, m9. R J. LABBE BROKEN AXLE GRAPPLER Filed Jan. 1s, 1937 Patented Jan. 31, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE 2 Claims.

This invention refers to devices for removing axles, and more particularly to a grappler suitable for retrieving broken axles from housings and sockets positoned inconveniently, especially those conventionally used for automobiles and the like. It has among its objects to provide an arrangement for shing and engaging axle pieces that may be left in a housing inaccessible to ordinary means of catching hold of same. Another object is to have the device adapted for speedy functioning, facile manipulation, and of powerful action. At the same time the construction is of simple and economic design and selfadjusting. A further object is to have a device that will be positive in action, adjustable, indicating and capable of powerful mechanical leverage.

Other objects will become apparent as the invention is more fully set forth.

The usual manner of removing parts of broken axles from automobile housings consists of haphazardly fishing and tapping with rods, and ordinary tools. The results desired are obtained only after considerable effort, time, and ingenuity. The element of luck also plays a considerable part in the ultimate success of the efforts. All of which together make existing methods unsatisfactory. In the present invention, the device consists of a grappling arrangement that is brought quickly and positively into position to the axle piece to be removed. It notifies the user of its contact with the axle part and thereby enables him to operate its grappling features accordingly. After the part is caught by the grappler and secured tightly thereby, ,the latter assumes an arrangement that permits it to pull effectively on the part while keeping it locked to the grappler.

In the drawing, which illustrates an embodiment of this invention:

Figure l s a side view of an axle grappler embodying this invention with a housing and axle piece indicated in dotted outline to portray the manner in which it is used,

Figure 2 is a View in perspective, showing an enlarged detail of the construction of the grappling shoe of the device,

Figure 3 is a sectional elevation through the grappling shoe portion of the device, and

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail of the manipulator portion of the device.

Similar reference chahacters refer to similar parts thoughout the drawing.

In the drawing I represents a conventional automobile rear housing of an axle, having a differential gearing 2in which a broken axle piece 3 extends. A grappling shoe 4, provided with plate 5, a wire loop 6 and attached to a shaft 'I, is arranged for insertion in such a housing and to fit under an axle piece as indicated in the drawing. The wire loop is secured to one side of the plate at a grooved hole 8 and passes into a groove 9 oppositely disposed in the shoe plate, where it is held by projections I0, or the natural resiliency of the material from which the wire loop is made. From thence the wire passes through a groove II provided on the underneath side of the shaft 'I, and is additionally kept within same by the projections 20. The wire passes out of the groove I-I at the end portion l2 of the shaft and is bent and wrapped on itself at I3 to provide a exible end connection therefor. A'link I4 `connects the portion I3 with an arm I5 of a bell-crank lever at I6, which is a portion of a bell crank fulcrumed at I'I and having an arm built with an offset construction consisting of a handle 2l, an extension I9 and. connection I8 all designed to takekup the relative position indicated in `Figure 3 with the supporting arm andv support 22. The purpose vof this arrangement is to enable the handle to be used with powerful mechanical action and position itself aligned with the support 22 and the arm I5 for pulling the grappler out holding the axle piece in a convenient and effective manner.

The operation of the device does not seem to require further description except to bring out the fact that on removal of the axle piece, the grappler readily opens and disengages it. When the grappler is inserted, its shaft portion 23 adjacent the shoe, as indicated, moves into contact with the axle piece and notifies the operator of the fact. The shaft, at this portion, is notched at 24 to make its bottom surface flush with that of the outside surface 25 of the shoe. The operation of the handle 2| upwardly draws back the arm I5 and tightens the loop on the axle piece to hold it securely. It assumes the position indicated in Figure 4 out of the way, while the arm I5 is ready to be pulled on, at the same time keeping the handle in a tightening position. The movement of the arm does not require a slot in it for the link to move in, as the flexibility of wire connection I3 and link I4 take up the variation in the straight-line movement, thereby preventing binding. The grooves 9 and II being open, enable the wire to be renewed with facility and become self-cleaning. The plate is preferably bevelled at 26 as indicated. The attachment of the Wire loop end at 8 positions the loop properly and requires only one line of Wire to pass through the grooves 9 and Il Without affecting its effectiveness.

While but one form of the invention is shown in the drawing and described herein, it is not desired to limit this application for patent to this particular construction otherwise than limited by the prior art, as it is appreciated that other forms could be made that would embody the same principles and come Within the scope of the appended claims. Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

l. A grappler for broken axles in housings comprising in combination, a solid shaft having an eccentrically disposed passage therethrough adjacent to the peripheral portion thereof, a shoe-plate, a semi-circular section attached to the shoe portion of the said shaft, said plate having its under circumferential portion set in and aligned with the external surface line of the said shaft and having a wire passage Within it having one end aligned with the said passage in the shaft and the other end disposed at the surface of the upper edge portion of the said shoeplate, a Wire element located in and passing through the passage in the shaft to and through the passage in the shoe-plate and beyond same looping above the inner surface of the said shoe plate for binding a broken axle piece against the said inner surface, an angular and bent supporting arm attached to the shaft and provided with pivot arrangement near the outer end thereof, a bell crank member having a sickle-like form pivoted to the said pivot arrangement of the supporting arm and adapted to position itself on the pivot parallel to the said angular and bent portions of said arm, and bell crank member, for transmitting a pull from the member as it rotates on thel pivot to the wire element to tighten the binding action at'the loop, said bell crank member being positioned on the supporting handle out of line with the axis of the shaft, to permit unobstructed view of the Wire and shoe plate axle engaging portions of the grappler and means for securing one end portion of the wire element to the shoe-plate and the other end portion to the bell crank member.

2. A grappler of the class described for broken axles in housings comprising in combination, a solid shaft having shoe and supporting arm end portions and with an eccentrically disposed passage there-through adjacent to the peripheral portion thereof, a shoe-plate, a semi-circular section attached to the shoe portion of the said shaft; said plate having its under circumferential portion set in and aligned with the external surface line of the said shaft and having a curved wire passage within it having one end aligned with the said passage in the shaft and the other end disposed at the surface of the upper edge portion of the said shoe-plate, pointing in a direction at right angles to the horizontal plane of the axis of the shaft, a wire element located in and passing through the passage in the shaft from the supporting arm to the shoe ends thereof in a straight line to and through the curved passage in the shoe-plate and beyond same looping above the inner surface of the saidshoe plate for binding a' broken axle piece against the said inner surface, an angular and bent supporting arm attached to the arm end portion of the shaft and providedl With pivot arrangement near the outer end thereof, a bell crank member having a sickle-like form pivoted to the said pivot arrangement of the supporting arm and adapted to position itself on the pivot parallel to the said angular and bent portions of said arm, a link attached to and interconnecting the supporting arm end of the wire element, and bell crank member, for transmitting a pull from the member as it rotates on the pivot to the Wire element to tighten the binding action at the loop, said bell crank member being positioned on the supporting handle out of line with the axis of the shaft to permit unobstructed view of the Wire and shoe-plate axle engaging portions of the grappler, and means for securing one end portion of the wire element tothe said shoe plate and the other end portion to the said link.

ROY J. LABBE. 

